Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1887-01-12
4 CAVE OF GOLD.
a Per }syiyanian's Find Among the
SNOW Mountains.

'oiON W Oull Nus
Froa tie Ia, annie o,asrang.
On the northern border of the great Ma
ti0nal Park, where rises the towering
peaks OF the Snow Mountains, there has
long lived man known as The Wander
err TnS man has never had, in the
many years ne has been known TO the
hSdters and trappers OF the region, any
settled habllatioD, but has wandered back
ward and forward through The snow
Mountains, apparently ever on the
search for something. Scattered through
the mountains he had several rude huts
in which he spjourued for few days at a
time, only TO take up again the weary
circle OF MS endless search. BY the men
of rife and trap ne had long be, IL consid-
cred crazy and the Indians o. the section
have evidently thought the same of him,
and, with the well-knOwn pity enter
tained bv the red tribes for those men
tally afflicted by the Great Spirit, have
never molested him IN any way. The cid
man was found in one of his numerous
hating places By party of hun tiers sew
eral days alter his wanderings mad ceased
forever.
An examination of the papers on his
person slowed that his had been a mad
ness luil of method, and revealed a tale
before which the story of Ali Baba and
the robbers cave pales into inslgnlti-
canoe. The old man, whose name was
Rscertained to be Arthur Betnanny,
Though ne had probably not heard 1t called
for score OF years, came to the Snow
mountains twenty-five years ago in the
prime Of VigOr and of youthful man.
hood. A native OF Pennsylvania, MS
youthful blood had been fired by accounts
OF the great West, and ne had started TO
the new country, joining an exploring
and hunting party at St. Louis. The
party penetrated into Wyoming, passed
through the Big Horn basin, and in
the late fall OF 1861 found them
selves on the bead waters of the Clarke
Fork IF the Yellowstone. Following no
the Clark Fork they soon came TO the
caoyon of the stream, and entering it
PASSED through and came out among the
mountains in the confines of the great
National Park. Here they inau2uTated
grand hunt among the mountain game
they found so plentiful. One dav Beth
amy wandered away from the party in
pursuit of bear he HAD wounded, and
followed the Il ain into the SNOW noun
talns. In deep and rocky gorge he ran
his game to earth and saw him enter an
opening in the side of the gorge. On APP
preaching the opening he saw that it must
lead Into a cavern of considerable extent,
and atonce boldly followed the game. he
soon found The bear, just dead from It's
wounds.
But where did he find it? In the midst
OF d scene OF dazzling splendor. The IN
tire interior OF the cavern was a mass Of
virgin gOld studded with dazzli < gems
From seams overhead there came only
small amount OF light, and in the semi
obscurlty he gems gave forth luminous
rays, aud the pure ore filled the cavern
with a golu en- sheen. Scarcely able TO
believe the evidence of his senses, Beth
amy examined the precious stones OF the
cavern, at first with fear and trembling,
and then with the widest transports OF
joy. In the narrow rocky seams which
traVersed the golden mass of the cavern
walls he recognized the diamonds bril-
liant white, the red flame OF the ruby,
aud the flashes of the beautiful blush
green peculiar to the turquoise. With
he'd n a whIrl and heart beating tumul-
tuou y, Bethany lett the gorgeous
cav an to tell his comrades of
hist Extraordinary discovery, for there was
enough riches there to make them all
Rothschilds. But scarcely had he emerg-
ed from the cavern when he found MIN
self envelOped in a sudden and whirling
mountain snow storm. In vain he tried
again to find the cavern entrance, and in
his search he must have wandered far
away from the locality. All night the
storm ragged, and when morning broke,
cold and gray, he found that he was hope
lessly lost. / he snow covered the ground
TO depth of many inches, and he could
neither find the cave nor his way back to
his companions. TO be brief, be passed
the long winter amid the deep mountain
SHOWS, and when spring came at last he
eWed his search tor the cavern of gold
and gems. and searched for it till the day
he lay down to die, two months ago.